U.S. patent application number 11/507915 was filed with the patent office on 2008-03-13 for camping on a conference or telephony port.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cisco Technology, Inc.. Invention is credited to Mukul Jain, Joseph F. Khourl, Sanjeev Kumar, Labhesh Patel, Christopher E. Pearce.
Application Number | 20080063174 11/507915 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39169697 |
Filed Date | 2008-03-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080063174 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Patel; Labhesh ; et
al. |
March 13, 2008 |
Camping on a conference or telephony port
Abstract
In one embodiment, a scheduling/conferencing system provides a
user with the ability to set up a camp-on request for a person
invited to attend a conference session in response to one or more
selections made by the user via a user interface, which may include
a name of the person and a specified action to be taken when the
person leaves the conference session. During the conference
session, a conference port of the person is camped-on. When the
person leaves the conference session and his conference port
becomes free, the specified action, which includes an attempt to
communicate with the person by the user, is executed. It is
emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules
requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to
quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical
disclosure.
Inventors: |
Patel; Labhesh; (San
Francisco, CA) ; Kumar; Sanjeev; (San Francisco,
CA) ; Jain; Mukul; (San Jose, CA) ; Khourl;
Joseph F.; (San Jose, CA) ; Pearce; Christopher
E.; (Dallas, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE LAW OFFICES OF BRADLEY J. BEREZNAK
800 WEST EL CAMINO REAL, SUITE 180
MOUNTAIN VIEW
CA
94040
US
|
Assignee: |
Cisco Technology, Inc.
San Jose
CA
|
Family ID: |
39169697 |
Appl. No.: |
11/507915 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
379/202.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/56 20130101; H04M
2201/40 20130101; H04M 3/424 20130101; H04M 2203/651 20130101; H04M
3/565 20130101; H04M 2201/60 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
379/202.01 |
International
Class: |
H04M 3/42 20060101
H04M003/42 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: receiving, in advance of a scheduled
conference session, input from a user identifying a person invited
to participate in the scheduled conference session; camping-on a
conference port of the person when a call from the person is placed
into the scheduled conference session; executing a specified action
in response to the conference port becoming free, the specified
action including at least an attempt to establish communications
between the person and the user.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the specified action comprises:
initiating a call from a first telephone device associated with the
user to a second telephone device associated with the person.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving the
specified action in advance of the scheduled conference session,
the specified action being one of a plurality of actions presented
to the user via a graphical user interface.
4. A method comprising: receiving a request from a user, in advance
of a scheduled conference session, to camp-on a conference port of
a person invited to attend the scheduled conference session;
notifying the person of the request when the person calls into the
scheduled conference session; prompting the person either for an
affirmative response to allow the request, or a negative response
denying the request; in the event of the affirmative response,
executing a specified action when the conference port becoming
free, the specified action including at least an attempt to
establish communications between the person and the user.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising: fetching from a
database a set of registered telephone numbers of the person; in
response to an incoming call to the scheduled conference session
from a telephone device having a certain number, attempting to
match the certain number of the incoming call to one of the set of
registered telephone numbers; and in the event of a match,
camping-on the conference port of the incoming call.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, in the event that
there is no match after a predetermined time has elapsed following
commencement of the scheduled conference session: notifying the
user that the request to camp-on the conference port of the person
has failed.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined time is
selectable.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein the specified action comprises:
initiating a call from a first telephone device associated with the
user to a second telephone device associated with the person.
9. The method of claim 4 further comprising: receiving the
specified action in advance of the scheduled conference session,
the specified action being one of a plurality of actions presented
to the user.
10. The method of claim 4 wherein the specified action comprises:
sending an email message from a first address associated with the
user to a second address associated with the person.
11. The method of claim 4 further comprising, in the event of the
negative response: alerting the user that the person has denied the
request by the user.
12. An apparatus comprising: a display; and a program that runs on
a telephone device to produce a graphical user interface (GUI) on
the display, the user interface providing a user of the telephone
phone with a list of persons invited to attend a scheduled
conference session, selection of a person from the list comprising
a request to camp-on a conference port of the person during the
scheduled conference session, selection of the person from the list
causing the GUI to provide the user with an option to select, from
a list of executable actions, an action to be taken by an Internet
protocol private branch exchange (IP PBX) system in response to the
person leaving the scheduled conference session and the conference
port becoming free, wherein the action includes at least an attempt
to communicate with the person by the user.
13. The apparatus wherein the action comprises an outbound call
placed from a first telephone device associated with the user to a
second telephone device associated with the person.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the action comprises a
message sent from the user to the person.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the message comprises an
instant message.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the message comprises an
email message.
17. Logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when
executed is operable to: prior to the conference session, set up a
camp-on request for a person invited to attend the conference
session in response to one or more selection input received from a
user interface, the one or more selection input including a name of
the person and a specified action to be taken when the person
leaves the conference session, the specified action including at
least an attempt to establish electronic communications between the
person and a user of the user interface; during the conference
session, camp-on a conference port of the person; and when the
person leaves the conference session and the conference port
becomes free, execute the specified action.
18. The logic of claim 17 wherein the user interface comprises a
graphical user interface.
19. The logic of claim 17 wherein the media, when executed, is
further operable to: notify the person of the camp-on request when
the person calls into the conference session; provide the person
with an option of allowing or denying the camp-on request, wherein
the specified action is executed only if the person allows the
camp-on request.
20. The logic of claim 17 wherein the specified action comprises
initiating an outbound call from a first telephone device
associated with the user to a second telephone device associated
with the person.
21. Logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when
executed is operable to: set-up a deferred camp-on of a first
telephone device associated with a person in response to one or
more inputs; the one or more inputs including a scheduled
date/time; initiate a call from a second telephone device
associated with a user to the first telephone device associated
with the person at the scheduled date/time; in the event that the
first telephone device is busy with a different call at the
scheduled date/time, camp-on the first telephone device; when the
different call ends, immediately initiate a new call from the first
telephone device to the second telephone device.
22. The logic of claim 21 wherein the one or more inputs are
generated by a user interface at a time when the first telephone
device is busy.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates generally to telephony and
teleconferencing.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Telephony and conferencing systems in which participants
communicate in a conference session or meeting over existing voice
and data networks, have been in been in existence for many years.
Modern conferencing and telephony systems typically include
advanced features that enhance user capabilities. For instance,
"call waiting" is a well-known feature of telephony systems that
notifies a caller when another call is coming in during an active
call. "Call parking" is a configurable feature of certain telephony
systems that allows the user to deposit a stable call at a
specified directory number, then go to another phone and dial the
park number to retrieve the call. Similarly, some telephony systems
enable a technique known as "camping on" a call, wherein an
incoming call is stored on hold until an attendant, trunk, trunk
group, or station is available to accept it, at which time the call
is completed. Basically, when the current call ends, the system
connects the user with the phone whose call was being
camped-on.
[0003] One important drawback of the existing camp-on approach is
that it only applies to calls that are currently in progress. That
is, there is presently no way for a person to set up a camp-on for
a call that will take place sometime in the future. But situations
do arise in which a person wants to speak directly with another
person at a future time; for instance, immediately after the other
person finishes a scheduled conference call. For example, an
employee of a company may need to discuss an urgent matter with his
manager. The manager, however, may have a very full schedule that
includes numerous conference calls, allowing him little if any
available time. Often times, the manager suggests that the employee
try to reach him after his participation in a certain
teleconference call ends. A manager, for instance, may tell the
employee that he has a scheduled one-hour conference call that
starts at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, but expects to get away early, and
recommends that the employee catch up with him after the meeting
ends. This means that the employee must wait until the scheduled
teleconference starts and then frequently walk past or call his
manager's office to see if he is still on the phone. Obviously,
this approach is inconvenient and results in considerable wasted
employee work time for the enterprise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] The present invention will be understood more fully from the
detailed description that follows and from the accompanying
drawings, which however, should not be taken to limit the invention
to the specific embodiments shown, but are for explanation and
understanding only.
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates an example conferencing and telephony
system.
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates an example method of camping on a
conference participant's port.
[0007] FIG. 3 illustrates an example graphical user interface
(GUI).
[0008] FIG. 4 illustrates example utilization of the user interface
illustrated in FIG. 3 to select an action to be taken when a
camped-on port becomes free.
[0009] FIG. 5 illustrates an example method of identifying and
camping-on a conference port in a configuration with separate
conferencing and scheduling systems.
[0010] FIG. 6 illustrates an example method of operation for a
deferred camp-on.
DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0011] In the following description specific details are set forth,
such as device types, system configurations, device types,
communication methods, etc., in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the present invention. However, persons having
ordinary skill in the relevant arts will appreciate that these
specific details may not be needed to practice the present
invention.
[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a
conferencing/telephony system is provided that allows a user to set
up a camp-on for a future scheduled conference call (i.e., one that
is not currently in progress) via a scheduling server, and also to
identify a selected person's port (i.e., the "campee") in a
conference or telephony call in order to camp-on to that port. In a
specific implementation, the scheduling server or system
graphically displays a list of participants invited to a scheduled
conference and the user selects one participant from that list on
whose conference port he wants to set the camp-on. If the selected
person is missing from the list of participants then the user may
optionally type in the email address or phone number of that
person. Thereafter, the user selects an action that he would like
the system to take when the camped-on conference port becomes free.
For example, the selected action may be to initiate an outbound
call from the user to the selected person's office phone when the
conference port becomes free. As a result, time wasted in the
enterprise due to employees having to manually check if a campee is
done with a teleconference in order to get hold of them is
drastically reduced.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an example conferencing and telephony
system 10 and a plurality of endpoint devices 14-16
(EP.sub.1-EP.sub.3) that may be used to connect with conference
server 12 and Internet protocol public branch exchange (IP PBX) 13
via IP network 11. It is appreciated that in different specific
implementations the media path for the conference participants may
include audio/video transmissions, e.g., Real-Time Transport
Protocol (RTP) packets sent across a variety of different networks
(e.g., Internet, intranet, PSTN, etc.), protocols (e.g., IP,
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)),
with connections that span across multiple services, systems, and
devices.
[0014] Conference server 12 comprises a conferencing or meeting
scheduling system application that includes software (or firmware)
plug-ins, modules, or enhancements that implement the various
features and functions described herein. In a specific
implementation, for example, conferencing server 12 may run a
modified or enhanced IP communication system software product such
as Cisco's MeetingPlace.TM. conferencing application that allows
users to schedule and attend meeting conferences. Cisco
MeetingPlace is typically deployed on a corporate network behind
the firewall, and facilitates scheduling of business conferences
from a touch-tone or voice over IP (VoIP) telephone, or a computer,
using various software clients, such as Microsoft.RTM. Outlook, or
a web browser. Other enhanced or modified scheduling systems, such
as Yahoo.RTM. Calendar, may also be used.
[0015] In the embodiment shown, conference server 12 includes a
digital signal processor (DSP) or firmware/software-based system
that mixes and/or switches audio/video signals received at its
input ports under the control of conferencing server 12. The audio
signals received at the conference server ports originate from each
of the conference or meeting participants (e.g., individual
conference participants using endpoint devices 14-16), and possibly
from an interactive voice response (IVR) system (not shown).
Conference server 12 may also incorporate or be associated with a
natural language automatic speech recognition (ASR) module for
interpreting and parsing speech of the participants, and standard
speech-to-text (STT) and text-to-speech (TTS) converter
modules.
[0016] Practitioners in the art will appreciate that the actual
media paths are established by conferencing server 12. In other
words, conferencing server 12 handles all of the control plane
functions of the conference session, and is responsible for
engaging the necessary media components/resources to satisfy the
media requirements of each of the endpoints (i.e., endpoints 14-16)
participating in a conference session. In operation, each of the
endpoint devices shown in FIG. 2 may join an audio/video conference
session by calling into a conferencing application running on
conferencing server 12.
[0017] With continued reference to the embodiment of FIG. 1, IP PBX
13 may comprise a corporate intranet network/PBX packet-network
(e.g., VoIP)-based system--such as Cisco's CallManager.TM. system
with appropriate software modules, plug-ins, or enhancements for
implementing the functions described herein. Alternative
embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in software
or hardware (firmware) installed in an IP communication systems,
PBX, telephony, telephone, and other telecommunications systems.
Similarly, the signaling path utilized for transmission of
commands, messages, and signals for establishing, moderating,
managing and controlling the conference session may be across any
network resources.
[0018] Generally speaking, each of endpoint devices 14-16
represents an end user, client, or person who wishes to initiate or
participate in a conference session and via conferencing server 12,
as facilitated by IP PBX system 13. Various endpoint devices that
may be used to initiate or participate in a conference session
include a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or notebook
computer, a desktop personal computer (PC) with softphone
capabilities, an IP telephone device, or any other device,
component, element, or object capable of initiating or
participating in voice, video, or data exchanges with conferencing
server 12.
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates an example method of camping on a
conference participant's port. In the method of FIG. 2, the user
first logs onto the scheduling system to set up the camp-on for a
particular attendee of a scheduled meeting (block 21). The user may
select a camp-on option from an interactive menu--e.g., a graphical
user interface (GUI) or a voice the scheduled meeting, and selects
the camp-on option. For example, EP.sub.2 (see FIG. 1) may comprise
a PC with softphone capabilities and a GUI that allows a user to
select (e.g., click on) an icon or button that invokes a routine
for implementing the camp-on option. The GUI may be generated by
software (i.e., code) running the user's PC. In other cases, the
GUI may comprise a collaborative web-based application that is
accessed by the browser software running on the user's PC. In other
instances, GUI 13 may comprise a downloaded application, or other
forms of computer-executable code that may be loaded or accessed by
a participant's PC. For instance, the software code for
implementing the GUI may be executed on IP PBX 13 and accessed by
users who want to make a camp-on request.
[0020] Upon selecting the camp-on option, the system (i.e.,
conference server 12 and/or IP PBX 13) displays a list of
participants that have been invited to attend the meeting or
conference (block 22). The user may then select one participant
from that list on whose conference port he wants to set the
camp-on, i.e., the campee. If the person on whom the user wants to
set the camp-on is missing from the list of participants, in one
embodiment the user may optionally type in the email address or
phone number of that person.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an example graphical user interface (GUI)
30 associated with an application running on a PC of and endpoint
device according to a specific implementation. GUI 30 includes a
window or field 31 that is shown populated with the names of five
participants invited to attend conference number 0126531 (i.e.,
Joseph Smith, Kenneth Gardener, Kate Burgess, Sanjay Prasat and
William Jones), which has been scheduled for a future date/time
(Jun. 26, 2006 at 11:00 a.m.). At this point, the user may select a
person from the list that he wants to camp-on (block 24 in FIG. 2)
by clicking on that person's name in window 31.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates example utilization of the user interface
illustrated in FIG. 3 to select an action to be taken when a
camped-on port becomes free--in this case, to select a user
(William Jones) as the campee. This selection is indicated in the
GUI by the highlighted box 33 around William Jones' name. Upon
making a camp-on request by selecting a participant's name, the GUI
presents the user with an action selection window 34 that includes
a list of possible actions that may take when the camped-on
conference port becomes free. In the embodiment shown the actions
include initiating a call from the user to the campee's office
telephone number; initiating a call to the campee's home telephone
number; sending an alert by email to the campee, instant messaging
(IM), or providing the user with the option to specify another
action to be taken. In this latter case, the user may optionally
specify some other phone number (e.g., William Jones' cellphone) to
call when the camped-on port becomes free. It is appreciated that a
wide variety of other actions (not shown in FIG. 4) may also be
specified or included in a listing for selection by a user. The
step of designating an action for the system to take when the
selected person's conference port becomes free is represented by
block 25 in FIG. 2.
[0023] Note that in this example the camp-on request may be
transmitted to IP PBX 13, which handles the request by
communicating with server 12 to first identify which conference
port William Jones is assigned to, and then to monitor that port in
order to determine when that port becomes free (i.e., William Jones
goes "off-hook" and leaves the conference session). When the
camped-on conference port becomes free, IP PBX 13 responds by
executing the designated action, i.e., as selected by the user
(block 26). For instance in the example of FIG. 4, if the user
selected the action "Call Office Phone" from the list in window 34
of FIG. 4 the IP PBX system would initiate an outbound call from
the user to William Jones immediately after the camped-on
conference port becomes free.
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates an example method of identifying and
camping-on a conference port in a configuration with separate
conferencing and scheduling systems. The process begins after a
participant (user) has set up a camp-on request by interacting with
the scheduling system to select a particular attendee of a
scheduled conference through the scheduling system. The user also
has selected a particular action that he wants the system to take.
At this point, the camp-on request of the user is transferred from
the scheduling system to the conferencing system or server (block
51). The conferencing system responds by fetching from a corporate
directory or database all of registered phone numbers of the campee
(block 52).
[0025] Whenever someone dials into the scheduled conference session
for which the camp-on has been set, the conferencing system or
server attempts to match the telephone number of the incoming call
to one of the stored telephone numbers registered to the person on
whose port the camp-on has been requested (block 53). In the event
of a match, the system notifies to the caller that a camp-on has
been requested for his meeting port (block 54). If no match is
found, the system simply waits for the next call, and repeats the
matching process (block 59).
[0026] It is appreciated that the camp-on notification may take a
number of different forms. For example, the conferencing system may
send a "whisper" voice message to the participant when that person
calls into the conference session. In other embodiments the
notification may take the form of an instant message or email sent
to the campee. The notification may also inform the participant of
the name of the person who has requested the camp-on. After being
notified of the camp-on request, the conferencing system may ask
the campee whether he wants to permit or allow the camp-on, say, by
pressing a certain DTMF keypad or sequence, or by otherwise
providing an affirmative verbal response.
[0027] By way of further example, assume that a user by the name of
Richard Morris has set up a camp-on request on William Jones'
meeting port. When William calls into the conference, the
conferencing system may notify him of the camp-on request by
whispering, "Richard Morris has requested a camp-on to your meeting
port. Please press `1` if you accept this camp-on request or press
`2` to reject it". Practitioners will appreciate that this method
of operation addresses situations wherein someone other than a
registered user of a particular a phone number is actually using
that phone to call into the conference session. For instance, if
(for whatever reason) William Jones' co-worker, Holly, is using
William's office phone to call into the conference session, she can
deny the camp-on request. In the case where a caller declines a
camp-on request, the conferencing system may send an alert (e.g.,
via email, IM, voice message, etc.) to the user who set up the
camp-on request specifying that his camp-on request has been denied
or rejected (block 56).
[0028] In the event that the camp-on request is approved (i.e.,
allowed) by the campee, the system sets the camp-on to monitor the
participant's conference port (block 57), and then executes the
user-specified action once the participant caller's conference or
meeting port becomes free (block 58). In other words, when the
camped-on port becomes free, the system executes the action
requested by the user who set up the camp-on. In the above example,
if Richard had asked the system to send an email alert when
William's conference port becomes free, then the system responds
accordingly. As another example, if Richard had requested that the
system call William's cellphone from a telephone specified by
Richard, then when William's conference port becomes free the
system will utilize existing third party call control techniques to
initiate a call from Richard's specified telephone number to
William's cellphone.
[0029] In another embodiment, when the camped-on port becomes free,
the system may first call the person whose port was camped-on to
confirm that he is indeed available, so that the system can take
the action requested by the user who had set the camp-on. For
example, when William leaves the conference session, the system may
calls him with an IVR menu prompt says, "Your call had been
camped-on by Richard. Press 1 if you would like to be connected to
Richard right now, press 2 if you got disconnected accidentally and
are going back to the conference call, or press 3 if you want to
deny the camp-on action requested by Joe." Note that this
embodiment gives the campee a second chance at refusing or denying
the camp-on action, and also accommodates situations where a
participant's conference call was accidentally dropped. In this
latter case, the system will not carry on Joe's requested camp-on
action (such as connecting Richard's and William's telephones) but
would rather camp-on William's port again when he re-dials back
into the conference session.
[0030] In accordance with yet another embodiment, the scheduling
system allows the user to specify an action to take in the event
that the system is unable to camp-on to the conference port of the
specified participant for a scheduled meeting. This embodiment, for
example, is useful in situations when a conference
invitee/participant for whom a camp-on request has been set fails
to call into the conference session, or where for some reason he
calls into the conference session from a phone that is not
registered in his name (hence the system is unable to identify that
person's conference port). In this embodiment, the user may
optionally select a notification method and time when the system
should notify him about the failure to camp-on to the specified
person's meeting port. For example, Richard may specify that the
system send him an email message 15 minutes into the meeting if the
system has been unable to camp-on to William's conference port at
that time.
[0031] In still another embodiment, the user may specify his
preferred notification method for receiving camp-on denial alerts.
In yet another embodiment, the system treats denial as failure to
camp-on and sends the denial alert using the same notification
method specified by the user for sending a failure to camp-on
alert.
[0032] FIG. 6 illustrates an example method of operation for a
deferred camp-on. This particular embodiment is useful in a
scenario wherein a user "A" places a call to user "B" only to
discover that user "B" is busy on another call. Rather than set-up
an immediate camp-on on user "B", user "A" may want to reach user
"B" at a future time, say, the next day at 1:00 p.m. User "A",
however, notices (via a corporate scheduling or calendaring system)
that user B has a conference call scheduled for that time.
[0033] According to the embodiment of FIG. 6, a telephony system
gives user "A" the option to invoke a deferred camp-on onto user
"B" for a future specified time. This act is represented in the
flowchart of FIG. 6 by block 61. For example, in the example
discussed above, user "A" may set a deferred camp-on for user "B"
for the next day the next day (Friday) at 1:00 p.m. At 1:00 p.m. on
Friday, the telephony system checks whether user "B's" telephone
device is busy (block 62). If it is busy, the telephony system
responds by camping-on his telephone device (block 63) so that when
user "B" hangs up the current call, he will immediately be
connected to user "A".
[0034] On the other hand, if at 1:00 p.m. on Friday the telephony
system detects that user "B's" telephone device is free, the
telephony system will invoke an outbound call from user "A" to
connect with user "B" (block 64). If user "B" answers the call, the
telephony system is done. However, if user "B" does not answer the
call then the camp-on is continued on user "B's" telephone device
until a future off-hook to on-hook transition (block 66). In other
words, if user "B" is away from his desk or is unable to answer his
phone at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, the telephony system will monitor
user "B's" phone for a future time when user "B" hangs up on a
call. At that point, the telephony system will again initiate or
invoke an outbound call from user "A" to user "B". Practitioners in
the art will appreciate that the step of invoking an outbound call
to reach user "B" may be repeated multiple times, as predetermined
by the telephony system or by certain preference settings of user
"A".
[0035] It should be understood that elements of the present
invention may also be provided as a computer program product which
may include a machine-readable medium having stored thereon
instructions which may be used to program a computer (e.g., a
processor or other electronic device) to perform a sequence of
operations. Alternatively, the operations may be performed by a
combination of hardware and software. The machine-readable medium
may include, but is not limited to, floppy diskettes, optical
disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs,
EEPROMs, magnet or optical cards, propagation media or other type
of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic
instructions. For example, elements of the present invention may be
downloaded as a computer program product, wherein the program may
be transferred from a remote computer or telephonic device to a
requesting process by way of data signals embodied in a carrier
wave or other propagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a
modem or network connection).
[0036] Additionally, although the present invention has been
described in conjunction with specific embodiments, numerous
modifications and alterations are well within the scope of the
present invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are
to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive
sense.
* * * * *